Yesterday morning, around 60 Palestinian and Syrian refugee children and youth from the Shatila camp assembled in CYC’s library in anticipation of the center’s weekly Friday activity.

The program began with the children and youth dancing in unison. Music played as CYC facilitators and volunteers clapped their hands while the young attendees released their energy.

What followed were a series of call-and-response songs, in which several CYC facilitators encouraged those in attendance to lead their peers with their voices and movements. Numerous children and youth took up the task, rushing into the center of the circle to lead the group.

The program then transitioned into a game that had all the children, youth, and facilitators in attendance moving back and forth across the library collectively.

After an hour of physical and mental release, the group then settled into chairs to relax their bodies and watch a film. The film was in English, giving the children and youth a chance to practice a foreign language as they rested. The range of activities gave those in attendance the chance to play, relax, learn and feel comfortable in the company of their friends. There were no shortage of smiles.